Updated Sunday, Sept. 25, 5 p.m. with vote results — Nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital have approved a new three-year contract that addresses union members’ concerns over working conditions.

Their first agreement with SSM Health, which acquired the hospital in 2015, includes a commitment to keeping enough nurses on duty and a requirement that managers give nurses eight hours to rest between shifts.

Dozens of nurses gathered for a picket Monday morning to protest what they say are unsafe staffing levels at St. Louis University Hospital.

In advance of contract negotiations, the hospital’s chapter of National Nurses United conducted a staffing survey in 2015 and compared the data collected to staffing guidelines set by the hospital’s management. Overall, optimal staffing levels were not met on 58 percent of shifts in a 21-day period.

The CEO of St. Louis University Hospital is stepping down, less than a month after officials announced the 356-bed facility would soon be taken over by SSM Health. Until then, academic medical center is still under the ownership of Tenet Healthcare Corporation.

The Monday announcement that nonprofit, Catholic SSM Health is acquiring Saint Louis University Hospital, the medical school's teaching facility, from for-profit Tenet was expected by many St. Louisans — expected, that is, nearly a generation ago.

In 1997, the SSM network lost its bid to buy the SLU medical complex at Grand Boulevard and Vista Avenue. The battle pitted the archbishop against the Jesuit-run university and divided rank-and-file Catholics.

A St. Louis man, who was attacked by chimpanzees at a South African refuge, is now recovering at a St. Louis hospital.

Andrew Oberle, Jr., was pulled under a fence and mauled by chimps at the Jane Goodall Institute’s Eden Sanctuary in June. He suffered serious injuries to his head, arms and legs. St. Louis University Hospital chief of plastic surgery Dr. Bruce Kraemer told reporters Thursday that Oberle has a good attitude and is healing well.